1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to handheld computing systems and, more particularly, to methods and systems for controlling and displaying information on a display device using a handheld computing system.
2. Copyright and Trademark Notice
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyrights whatsoever.
Certain marks referenced herein may be common law or registered trademarks of third parties affiliated or unaffiliated with the applicant or the assignee. Use of these marks is by way of example and shall not be construed to limit the scope of this invention to material associated with such marks.
3. Related Art
With the advent of the computer, application software has been implemented that allows a user to prepare a presentation in a digital form and later display it using a computer. As laptop computers have become more affordable, digital presentations have become even more popular. Using a laptop computer, business people can conveniently produce, carry, and display their presentations as they move from one place to the next. Unfortunately, however, for a frequent business traveler, carrying the lightest of laptop computers still can be rather inconvenient in comparison to carrying a handheld computing system.
Commonly referred to as palmtops or personal digital assistants (PDAs), handheld computers are, typically, small enough to fit into a shirt pocket or on the palm of your hand. Unfortunately though, due to their small size, handheld computers are less powerful than a typical laptop computer and therefore support only a limited number of applications. For example, while most handheld computers can support simple word processing applications, they do not support graphic or presentation applications such as Microsoft PowerPoint. Further, handheld computers lack the capability to connect to a display device or a power source that can support a long lasting presentation.
It would be very useful for a business traveler to be able to conveniently use a light personal computing device to give a presentation. This invention, its advantages and improvements over the prior art schemes and devices, will be better understood and appreciated by reviewing the following discussion of the current portable computing systems.
Personal Digital Assistants and Palmtop Computers
With advancements in computer and communication technology, the size of computing devices has been dramatically reduced. Although the reduction in size compromises the power and functionality of a computing system, in recent years portable computers have been manufactured that have substantial computing power and utility. Moreover, the evolution of the portable computing devices has been consummated with the introduction of very popular and relatively powerful handheld computing devices commonly referred to as palm tops or personal digital assistants (PDAs).
A PDA, generally, refers to a handheld computer that serves as a digital tool for the storage and organization of personal information. It generally includes an information directory, a calendar, a to-do list, and some form of a conventional text processing application. Some PDAs are pen based and use a stylus to tap selections on graphic menus that are displayed on their screens. Some allow for a user to enter printed characters by simply writing on the surface of the display. A PDA may also include a small on-screen or off-screen keyboard which can be tapped with the stylus pen. Some PDAs provide for data synchronization between a PDA and a desktop computer via cable or wireless communication. A palmtop computer is like a PDA except that a palmtop typically includes a small keyboard whereas the PDA includes a pen. Apple Computer's Message Pad, more commonly known as the “Newton®,” was the first to popularize the concept of handheld computer devices.
Due to the advancements in computing power and portability, currently manufactured handheld computing devices conveniently provide a user with access to a wide variety of features and services. A popular handheld computing device is the Palmpilot™ by Palm Corporation, Santa Clara, Calif. A Palmpilot can be used for general and specialized tasks. For example, a user can utilize it to schedule appointments, record contact information, browse the Internet, and send emails. The powerful and easy to use features of the Palmpilot have made it an integral part of the daily life of many of its users.
Unfortunately, a short coming of the Palmpilot and computing devices of the like is that they can only support a limited number of functions in comparison to their larger counterparts, such as laptop computers. Unlike laptop and desktop computers, the current handheld portable computing devices do not include mass media storage units (e.g., hard disk drives) or high capacity memory devices that allow for the storage, retrieval, and execution of one or more resource intensive software applications, such as the Microsoft PowerPoint®. As such, the handheld computers are limited to running customized software applications that are preloaded in their memory and can be supported by their limited resources. To overcome this problem, certain manufacturers have developed handheld devices that include expansion slots for additional functionality.
Handspring™ Corporation of Mountain View, Calif., a Palm OS licensee, manufactures the Visor®, a handheld computing device that includes an interface for the attachment of a separate module that enables the device with additional functionality over the conventional handheld computing devices. This interface also referred to as an expansion slot can be used to allow for the attachment of an electronic module that enables the device to act as a digital camera or a cellular telephone, for example. Unfortunately, no schemes or modules are currently available that allow a user to utilize a handheld computing device to display and control digital presentations on a projector or other display device. A method and apparatus that can provide such functionality would be very useful.